04.04.12

The New York Times recently approached our friends at Legwork to produce a video outlining the failed deal between Obama and Boehner. Not surprisingly Legwork’s signature style is again attracting a lot of attention. It’s official, they are on fire.

01.18.12

Well, this is all over the news today and for good reason. This site and about a million others would fade away in a record sweep by the American Congress. Early rumors are that it is not going to pass despite a large corporate backing. It shouldn’t pass either. The people are pissed off enough already and now this? Keep the internet free.

PROTECT-IP is a bill that has been introduced in the Senate and the House and is moving quickly through Congress. It gives the government and corporations the ability to censor the net, in the name of protecting “creativity”. The law would let the government or corporations censor entire sites– they just have to convince a judge that the site is “dedicated to copyright infringement.”

The government has already wrongly shut down sites without any recourse to the site owner. Under this bill, sharing a video with anything copyrighted in it, or what sites like Youtube and Twitter do, would be considered illegal behavior according to this bill.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill would cost us $47 million tax dollars a year — that’s for a fix that won’t work, disrupts the internet, stifles innovation, shuts out diverse voices, and censors the internet. This bill is bad for creativity and does not protect your rights.”

10.13.11

The mainstream media has in many ways chosen to ignore the rising ‘Occupy’ movement which is now spreading virally across the U.S. Political pundits are already murmuring the sound byte ‘American Autumn’ after the ‘Arab Spring’. Here in Denver the Governor is currently at a loss as to how to deal with the protesters now camped out in front of the state capital.

In response to the lack of coverage one amateur filmmaker decided to shoot his own video at the source of the movement.

04.27.11

Chris Harmon was remembering all the way back to what seemed like forever ago last year when a massive oil spill drenched the sea with an absolutely unforgivable amount of sludge. How quickly we forget. After uncovering a bit of data fueled by that memory (pun intended) Harmon decided to create this animation to help detail just how addicted to oil we really are.

01.12.11

“The article below the video I linked to explains pretty much everything. She defends her use of violent rhetoric, writing it off as “we are talking about the vote” and as first amendment rights. Well, if the first amendment means I cannot yell fire in a crowded theater because I’m endangering others, that should also mean that you, Ms. Palin, cannot use violent rhetoric and create maps with cross-hairs that obviously endanger others. She defends her map as having done nothing wrong, that “both sides of the isles use maps”, well if that were the case why did you take it down so quickly unless you had known from the start it was wrong? Lastly the use of “blood libel” is heinous, it refers to rumors that were spread to incite more antisemiticism and fear and hate against Jews. Specifically blood libel was the false fear that Jews were running around stealing good Christian children, murdering them and then using their blood in religious ceremonies to bake matzos at Passover. To use the term as though democrats are really victimizing you, Ms. Palin is wrong. You are not the victim here, and likening yourself to the horrors that Jews faced when they were victimized means you disregard their suffering, and are a completely self deluded.”

10.25.10

The New Leaf is a website designed by I Shot Him that helps to explain Prop 19 and what the legalization and taxation of marijuana will do for California. This is a hotly debated subject here in Colorado, especially in Denver where we now have more marijuana dispensaries citywide than Starbucks (yes, that’s true). The problem that a lot of people aren’t seeing is that if legalized under the stipulations of this proposition, the space allowed (only 25 square feet) for growers as well as a wealth of new regulations will seriously cut down on the types and possibly the quality that growers can provide. So it’s not an all together great proposition although many would like to see it legalized to help bring money into the state. My take on the subject for a while has been that big tobacco companies like Phillip Morris are probably waiting in the wings for something like this to be passed so the entire process can be commercialized and we end up buying marijuana at the local liquor store with a six pack of beer. That day might be far off but it would be nice to keep dispensing as independent as possible so long as the product is regulated and meets a list of criteria. It will be interesting to see where this goes and if it even stands a chance of being passed. Definitely a hot button issue for younger voters more than old. But, I seriously believe the day of legalization may not be too far off in the future. Overcoming the social stigma attached to marijuana however is likely a long way off in the future, even if it is one day legalized. There is definitely an age divide on this issue.

Leave a comment and share your opinion. Since this blog reaches a global audience, it would be great to know what those of you out there think about this issue and how it is being regarded outside of the U.S. as well.

08.13.10

Falling Whistles is a special campaign to both raise awareness and give money to an important cause that for some reason the world has chosen to ignore. The cause is the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa that has so far claimed the lives of over 6 million people and continues to end the lives of more than 1500 people every single day. It is one of the most violent regions in the entire world and has famously involved the training and murder of child soldiers. Why so many countries have decided this conflict does not matter is one of the greatest tragedies in human history.

You can donate directly to the Falling Whistles campaign or purchase a whistle which is meant to stand as a symbol for blowing the whistle on this terrible human crisis. I’d like to personally thank the wonderful people behind this campaign for standing up and doing what they can to make people aware of this issue.

06.30.10

Spanish illustrator Joaquin Secall has a small but memorable body of work that pokes and prods at popular culture. He enjoys being cheeky and isn’t afraid to get taboo. You can view his work at either his Behance-folio or his personal website.

05.29.10

“The Red Shirt political protest in Bangkok, Thailand has been active for nearly two months now, and has entered a new, deadly phase in the past week, with at least 36 of the total 60 deaths occurring in just the last few days. Anti-government protesters have barricaded themselves against government troops and the Thai army has declared certain protest areas to be “Live Fire Zones”. A state of emergency is in effect, covering 17 provinces in the country, as protesters have refused orders to leave, and news just emerged that a renegade general who supported the Red Shirts, Khattiya Sawatdithol, died today from a gunshot wound he suffered on May 13th. Collected here are photos of the recent turmoil in central Bangkok. (39 photos total)”

Amazing pictures from Thailand. What a truly turbulent time we find ourselves in.

05.20.10

Dominic Wilcox was born in Sunderland and educated at Edinburgh College of Art. After obtaining a degree in Visual Communication he spent time in Japan before returning to England to undertake an MA at the Royal College of Art in the renowned Design Product course led by Ron Arad. He is a ‘thinking’ artist whose work is always highly conceptual blending pop culture, satire and politics seamlessly into new art forms.

01.11.10

About:
USA BY DESIGNERS is an international artistic project whose aim is to unveil a multitude of images of USA from the inside and from the outside. Design as the expression of a cultural vision, a political vision or a simple and unposed feeling… Design and its diversity as a new way to catch USA.

USA BY DESIGNERS is a project of HUG United ™ (HYPE UP GALLERY) co-founded by Astrid ROUSSEAU and Julien GRANDCLEMENT aka ODBO.

Call for Entries:
Designers, illustrators, photographers, design studios, collectives/crews, agencies, students, visual artists… you are welcome to submit an innovative, creative, exciting, personal and experimental artwork inspired by the theme: ”WHAT DOES USA MEAN TO YOU? “
We are expecting diversity and freestyle: all styles of outstanding visual media are welcome. Selected works will be featured through online exhibit and book (more information soon).

You can read more about entering and the judges panel involved with USA By Designers here.

07.24.09

I just saw this posted at Surfstation and decided (after reading a passionately written post) to listen to a talk by Gordon Brown as part of a recent TED conference. Brown delivers a really unique talk for a man in his position and really espouses some unusual views on how he believes the world is being shaped by emerging technology. The juxt of his position being that we are now in a unique era where we have a genuine opportunity for real change driven by people who are able to connect instantaneously. It’s a ballsy thing to put into the stream of consciousness from a politician but that is exactly why it is hard not to take it as a genuinely heart felt cry for real change and progress.

A little more about the project and the Jarvis’s work:
“The goal of giving form to a complex situation like the credit crisis is to quickly supply the essence of the situation to those unfamiliar and uninitiated. This project was completed as part of my thesis work in the Media Design Program, a graduate studio at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

For more on my broader thesis work exploring the use of new media to make sense of a increasingly complex world, visit jdjarvis.com.”

01.20.09

Well, if the Whitehouse website is any indication of Obama’s intention to ‘get things done’ we might actually be in for some real changes. The code validates and the site was updated pretty much the second he was sworn in. Hooray for good design in the White House.

C’mon folks. Its the little things you know. Bit by bit. We’ll get there.

01.19.09

Tuesday will be an important earmark in American history as Obama will take office and put a new face on the American body politic. We have come a very long way since Bush was first inaugurated in what seems like a lifetime ago. I wish very badly I could have been in Washington for this historic day but just living here in Denver during the DNC was special enough. I am thankful for having been here in that special place in time.

As much as I want to just drown myself in the excitement and hype of the inauguration, I still feel very troubled about where both America and the world are right now. It has become impossible to ignore the dire straights we are in and even more impossible to know what to do about it. We so desperately need real leadership right now to put America back to task. I cannot admit to having much faith in our political system or leaders at this point, but I do still believe in the American people. I do think we are good at heart and truly want to make the world better, but we have lost our way these last few years. The best thing for us now would be for Obama and his administration to help lead us back to collectively working to solve some of the issues we face.

I am in no way claiming that we are helpless sheep, but we elect our officials for a reason, and that reason is to provide a constructive leadership that improves both our national situation and global situation. However, we have let our officials get away with too much for too long and part of the reconstruction process of our government will have to include prosecuting the politicians who have been operating and continue to operate outside of the law. Corruption has become the norm and real effective change that benefits the working class cannot happen under the watch of greedy, corrupt and criminal politicians.

Obama will only be as good a leader as we push him to be. If we expect a savior who will work while we continue to drown ourselves in debt and excess then we will be sorely disappointed and continue to spiral into apathy. We cannot afford this any longer and we must both elect better representatives and force them to be responsible. The government should fear the people and not the other way around. It is easy to say this but it must also be backed by action. If this means protesting in the streets, then so be it. We control this country, not them, and it is time that we use the law to remind them of that. Corrupt politicians and white collar criminals in this country should suffer penalties that are equal to their crimes. As far as I am concerned some of the worst offenders deserve no less than life sentences in prison for the damage they have inflicted on the economy and in turn a massive amount of people, including people outside of our borders.

It has become much harder for the working class in this country over the last decade and it keeps getting harder. We have been living out of league with sustainability for too long, and I think now we are feeling the result of that lifestyle. Hopefully we can learn to fare with less from here on out. It is painful though to see so many people becoming so disproportionately rich that it is beginning to topple the middle class in America. The middle class is and always will be the solid backbone of this country, and without it America will fail. As exiting as it has been to see Obama’s inaugural celebrations, it does stick in the back of the middle class Americans’ throat to see the front rows of the events lined by the rich and famous, when it seems those rows should have been saved for the working class people who went out of their way to make sure Obama reached the highest office of the government. Those people did not have the luxury of donating large sums to Obama, but instead paid him with time away from families they were trying to support and jobs they need to survive. I am not so blind that I do not see how it is those very rich and liberal people that the conservatives feel are completely out of touch with average Americans, and how they are angered by their access to everything while that access is denied the rest of us. It will be up to Obama to balance out his relations with the rich and famous in a way that he can still remain the peoples’ president and not lose touch with the average American. I hope he can do this because if he cannot, I fear people will not follow his lead. I hope to live to see the day that celebrity will not be so celebrated. It would serve us better to start sincerely rewarding our teachers, thinkers and scientists instead of those who entertain and sometimes distract us. If we continue to refuse to do this then America will continue to fade into the background of the continually progressing outside world.

Through it all, I remain optimistic because there is only one alternative that is not worth consideration. I am ready to work to make this country better, and I know I am not alone. The world and America are in desperate need of healing, and I fear we are losing precious time. Lets lift this administration up and force it to hold it’s mantle while we work to put this country back into the hands of the people it belongs to and was created for. Congratulations to Mr. Obama, and while we behold this historical day, let us do so in productive spirit as now is the time to turn the page of history and stop talking about change and make it happen for real.

IN THE STORE

CTT STUDIO

CTT FLICKR

SUPPORT

FOLLOW

Off the record

05/18 SENDAK PASSES The brilliant author and illustrator Maurice Sendak passed away last week at the age of 83 but will no doubt be remembered for generations to come for his amazing books such as Where the Wild Things Are.

04/12 ZIMMERMAN FACES MURDER In a case we’ve been following closely there is finally what we think is some good news to report. George ZImmerman, the man accused of killing the innocent teenager Trayvon Martin has been taken into custody and charged with second degree murder. At last there is some justice.

12/16 HITCHENS DIES Outspoken author and pundit Christopher Hitchens passed away yesterday at the age of 62 after succombing to a long battle with cancer. His honest and bravado opinion that rarely favored one side versus the other but was instead often a cry for ‘reason’ will be missed.

11/23 BURZYNKSI CLINIC Is there an alternative, non-toxic treatment for cancer? Dr. Stanislaw R. Burzynski seems to think so and has been experiencing higher rate of success than the current accepted practice of treating cancer.